(Note: figures in parentheses give an indication, from first reports, of the spread of daily max and min temperatures, min daytime temperatures (occasionally), rainfall and sunshine in the 24 hours ending 2100 GMT.)

British Isles weather, December 2018

Low pressure and fronts close to W Scotland gave some overnight rain over Scotland and Ireland into the 28th and further (mainly very light) falls in many parts of Scotland, Ireland and N England during the day. W Scotland, S Ireland, Wales, East Anglia and SW England remained rather cloudy during the day but it was a mild day everywhere. (Hawarden 12.8C, Exeter Airport 7.4C maximum, Goudhurst -1.8C minimum, Achnagart 17.4 mm, Jersey Airport 5.1 h.)

A shallow area of low pressure crossed N Scotland during the morning of the 29th (centre 1008 mb close to Wick at 0600 GMT). As associated fronts drifted S'wards the day was mainly a cloudy one with some light rain as far S as Wales and N England. There was a little air frost in parts of E Scotland, but a mild day followed in all areas. (Usk No.2 14.1C, Loch Glascarnoch 6.5C maximum, Aboyne 0.2C minimum, Cluanie Inn 26.0 mm, Edinburgh Gogarbank 4.3 h.)

Pressure rose during the 30th (centre 1039 mb off SW Cornwall at 2400 GMT). It was a mild or very mild day everywhere but cloudy except in a few parts of NE England and W Scotland. Overnight rain fell over many parts of Scotland, N England and Northern Ireland with lesser falls elsewhere. During the day fall were lighter with many parts of England and Northern Ireland remaining dry. The warmth was the result of a warm front crossing most areas during the day; this warm air arrival gave some advection fog for a time in various districts, mainly over the higher ground. (Topcliffe 13.3C, Tredegar Bryn Bach Park 7.8C maximum, Topcliffe -0.8C minimum, Achnagart 14.6 mm, Morpeth Cockle Park 2.3 h.)

The 31st was another mild day as pressure remained high over the SW. It was also cloudy in most areas but E and S Scotland, and parts of W Ireland, had some sunny periods. Frontal cloud gave some rain as it moved SE'wards across Scotland later in the day. (Aboyne 13.5C, Okehampton 6.5C maximum, Topcliffe 1.8C minimum, Cluanie Inn 26.0 mm, Dyce 2.6 h.)

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